Dogfights: Dogfights of the Future

Dogfights: Dogfights of the Future wikipedia

2015A.btl

In the last episode of the second season of the History Channel's series Dogfights ("Dogfights of the Future"), various possible scenarios are discussed using newer high-tech weaponry. In the first encounter discussed the year is 2015 and four 5th generation F-22 Raptors are sent to provide top cover for a rescue helicopter attempting to rescue the crew of a downed aircraft. As the Raptors reach station and begin to orbit the rescue site, the rescue copter is fired upon and destroyed by 14 approaching MiG-29s. The F-22s turn to engage the MiGs, downing or damaging 8. The rest head for home. Soon, another threat becomes evident. Approaching the Raptors are a mixed formation of 24 Su-30 MKI and Dassault Rafaels. The Raptors turn to engage this threat, but being low on missiles, call on the aid of two B-1Rs, a proposed version of the B-1 that can act as a missile platform, each B-1R carrying 22 long-range AIM-120D missiles (longer-ranged AIM-120s that will likely be instroduced before 2015). The Raptors fire off their remaining missiles and send targeting data back to the B-1s, which also fire off a volley of missiles. All of the Su-30s and all but 6 of the Rafaels are destroyed. These remaining Rafaels launch at the unstealthy B-1Rs and damage one, prompting the B-1s to head for home. The Rafaels pursue, forcing the 4 Raptors to engage the 6 Rafaels in a close-in dogfight. The Raptors destroy 3 of the Rafaels and the rest turn for home.

I have constructed several versions of this encounter. 2015A.btl (this scenario) represents the whole encounter from start to finish. The distances represented in the show can not be reliably reproduced in FC2, and several of the weapons systems are not available for use in FC2, so I have made seveal substitutions. First, this version of the encounter has a bomb armed F-80 representing the rescue helicopter. A Building square represents the downed aircraft, the target of rescue effort. A successful bombing run by the F-80 indicates a successful pick up of survivors.......the United States player wants to ensure the survival of the F-80 at all costs. The loss of the F-80 indicates a failed rescue effort.

The Raptors are armed with the best air-to-air weaponry available in FC2, as are the MiGs, Sukhois and Rafaels. However, the B-1R (along with its complement of 22 AIM-120D missiles) is not available in FC2, so F-14Ds that have been equipped with the AIAAM missile (a cancelled long-ranged active-homing radar guided weapon project that was to replace the Phoenix missile) are used instead. The AIAAM is used to represent AIM-120Ds. Multiple F-14Ds, with their powerful radar and 6 AIAAM missiles each, make a reasonable substitution for the B-1R.

In 2015B.btl-2015D.btl, this encounter has been broken into isolated sections.

2015B.btl

In the last episode of the second season of the History Channel's series Dogfights ("Dogfights of the Future"), various possible scenarios are discussed using newer high-tech weaponry. In the first encounter discussed the year is 2015 and four 5th generation F-22 Raptors are sent to provide top cover for a rescue helicopter attempting to rescue the crew of a downed aircraft. As the Raptors reach station and begin to orbit the rescue site, the rescue copter is fired upon and destroyed by 14 approaching MiG-29s. The F-22s turn to engage the MiGs, downing or damaging 8. The rest head for home. Soon, another threat becomes evident. Approaching the Raptors are a mixed formation of 24 Su-30 MKI and Dassault Rafaels. The Raptors turn to engage this threat, but being low on missiles, call on the aid of two B-1Rs, a proposed version of the B-1 that can act as a missile platforms, each B-1R carrying 22 long-range AIM-120D missiles (longer-ranged AIM-120s that will likely be instroduced before 2015). The Raptors fire off their remaining missiles and send targeting data back to the B-1s, which also fire off a volley of missiles. All of the Su-30s all but 6 of the Rafaels are destroyed. These remaining Rafaels launch at the unstealthy B-1Rs and damage one, prompting the B-1s to head for home. The Rafaels pursue, forcing the 4 Raptors to engage the 6 Rafaels in a close-in dogfight. The Raptors 3 of the Rafaels and the rest turn for home.

I have constructed several versions of this encounter. 2015B.btl (this scenario) represents the first segment of this encounter....the 4 Raptors and the rescue helicopter versus 14 MiG-29s (try 2015A.btl for the entire encounter).

This version of the encounter has a bomb armed F-80 representing the rescue helicopter. A Building square represents the downed aircraft, the target of rescue effort. A successful bombing run by the F-80 indicates a successful pick up of survivors.......the United States player wants to ensure the survival of the F-80 at all costs. The loss of the F-80 indicates a failed rescue effort.

The Raptors are armed with the best air-to-air weaponry available in FC2, as are the MiGs.

2015C.btl

In the last episode of the second season of the History Channel's series Dogfights ("Dogfights of the Future"), various possible scenarios are discussed using newer high-tech weaponry. In the first encounter discussed the year is 2015 and four 5th generation F-22 Raptors are sent to provide top cover for a rescue helicopter attempting to rescue the crew of a downed aircraft. As the Raptors reach station and begin to orbit the rescue site, the rescue copter is fired upon and destroyed by 14 approaching MiG-29s. The F-22s turn to engage the MiGs, downing or damaging 8. The rest head for home. Soon, another threat becomes evident. Approaching the Raptors are a mixed formation of 24 Su-30 MKI and Dassault Rafaels. The Raptors turn to engage this threat, but being low on missiles, call on the aid of two B-1Rs, a proposed version of the B-1 that can act as a missile platform, each B-1R carrying 22 long-range AIM-120D missiles (longer-ranged AIM-120s that will likely be instroduced before 2015). The Raptors fire off their remaining missiles and send targeting data back to the B-1s, which also fire off a volley of missiles. All of the Su-30s and all but 6 of the Rafaels are destroyed. These remaining Rafaels launch at the unstealthy B-1Rs and damage one, prompting the B-1s to head for home. The Rafaels pursue, forcing the 4 Raptors to engage the 6 Rafaels in a close-in dogfight. The Raptors destroy 3 of the Rafaels and the rest turn for home.

I have constructed several versions of this encounter. 2015C.btl (this scenario) is the second part of this battle. The rescue helicopter has been destroyed, but the F-22s have driven off the MiG-29s, and are now heading towards the mixed force of Su-30MKIs and Rafaels.

Because they used many of their missiles to drive off the MiGs, the Raptors are down to 12 AIM-120s between them.

The B-1R (along with its complement of 22 AIM-120D missiles) is not available in FC2, so F-14Ds that have been equipped with the AIAAM missile (a cancelled long-ranged active-homing radar guided weapon project that was to replace the Phoenix missile) are used instead. The AIAAM is used to represent AIM-120Ds. Multiple F-14Ds, with their powerful radar and 6 AIAAM missiles each, make a reasonable substitution for the B-1R.

2015D.btl

In the last episode of the second season of the History Channel's series Dogfights ("Dogfights of the Future"), various possible scenarios are discussed using newer high-tech weaponry. In the first encounter discussed the year os 2015 and four 5th generation F-22 Raptors are sent to provide top cover for a rescue helicopter attempting to rescue the crew of a downed aircraft. As the Raptors reach station and begin to orbit the rescue site, the rescue copter is fired upon and destroyed by 14 approaching MiG-29s. The F-22s turn to engage the MiGs, downing or damaging 8. The rest head for home. Soon, another threat becomes evident. Approaching the Raptors are a mixed formation of 24 Su-30 MKI and Dassault Rafaels. The Raptors turn to engage this threat, but being low on missiles, call on the aid of two B-1Rs, a proposed version of the B-1 that can act as a missile platforms, each B-1R carrying 22 long-range AIM-120D missiles (longer-ranged AIM-120s that will likely be instroduced before 2015). The Raptors fire off their remaining missiles and send targeting data back to the B-1s, which also fire off a volley of missiles. All of the Su-30s all but 6 of the Rafaels are destroyed. These remaining Rafaels launch at the unstealthy B-1Rs and damage one, prompting the B-1s to head for home. The Rafaels pursue, forcing the 4 Raptors to engage the 6 Rafaels in a close-in dogfight. The Raptors 3 of the Rafaels and the rest turn for home.

I have constructed several versions of this encounter. 2015D.btl (this scenario) is the third part of this battle. The rescue helicopter has been destroyed, but the F-22s have driven off the MiG-29s, and destroyed 18 of the 24 aircraft in the second wave. They are now facing off with 6 surviving Rafaels that have fired several of their radar-homing missiles (in the attack on the now retreating B-1s).

Because they used all of their AIM-120 missiles to drive off the MiGs and help destroy Su-30MKIs and Rafaels, the Raptors only have 2 AIM-9X missiles each